Keyboard



March 6, 1951 A. H. DICKINSON 2,543,899

KEYBOARD I INVENTOR ooooobooooooooocj j A/zazc/r/A/ao/v ooooooooooooooooll BY 1 ATTORNEY March 1951 A. H. DICKINSON 2,543,899

KEYBOARD Filed Sept. 21, 1945 x 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATi'oRNEYPatented Mar. 6, 1951 KEYBOARD Arthur H. Dickinson, Greenwich, Conn.,assignor to lnternationalBusiness Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y.,'a corporation of New York Application September 21, 1945, Serial No.617,834

'4 Claims.

This case relates to electrical keyboards.

An object of the invention is to provide a sectional keyboard built upof individual key column sections so that the columnar capacity of akeyboard may be varied by utilizing a chosen number of key columnsections.

An object of the invention is to provide a key column section soconstructed that it may be electrically united with other such sectionsto compose a keyboard of chosen columnar capacity.

An object of the invention is to provide a key column sectionconstructed with a plugboard which may be joined by plugwires to anyother such section, whereby a keyboard composed of any chosen number ofsuch sections, plugged to one another, may be built up.

An object of the invention is to provide a keyboard built up ofindividual, similar pluggable key column sections any one of which maybe utilized as a feeder section to receive electrical power and feed thepower to the remainder of the keyboard.

An object of the invention is to provide a keyboard built up of 'keycolumn sections one of which has switching means for switching a controlcircuit to another of the sections.

An object of the invention is to provide 'novel key release or keycolumn clearing controls.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which disclose, by way of examples, the principle of the invention andthe best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side sectional view oi a key column section.

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an illustrative circuit diagram for the keyboard.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the key column section has a casing l8.Mounted in the casing is a conventional key column unit. This unit haseleven keys, one of which is designated r and is merely a release key.The other ten keys are digit keys to select digits to 9. 'Upondepression of a digit key, it is latched down, as usual, by a latch bar12. The latched key may be released by depressing any other digit key inthe column or by depressing the release key 1*. The keycolumn section isprovided, for purposes relating to the present invention, with asolenoid RM which, when energized, rocks a lever 14 to move the bar I2to the left (Fig. 1) so as to release any latched digit key. Thisoperation may be called the clearing operation.

The key column section includes thee hand 2 switches designatedSS, 12S,and RS the functions of which will be explained in the later circuitdescription.

The rear wall of casing ii] is in the form of an open rectangle, theopening in which is closed by a plugboard. The plugboard includes twoinsulating panels I! and 18 secured to each other and to the marginal,rear wall of the casing. Mounted on the panels I! and ['8 are'plugsockets generally designated P. It is seen that the plugboard is anintegral part of the key column section, and is accessible "for pluggingfrom the outside.

The key column unit is of the type in which the digit keys, upondepression, connect pairs of contact blades 20. Wires from blades 2'!)and from solenoid RM, switches SS, l-2S and RS are cabled and connectedat their emerging ends to a plurality of the plug sockets P. There aretwo columns of plug sockets P, and the connections of the key contacts,the solenoid, and switches to the sockets, and between the socketsthemselves, are shown in Fig. 3.

Briefly, the key column section described above comprises a bank ofkeys, key contacts, key re- .lease means, electrical switches, and aplugboard internally wired to the key contacts and switches. Any desirednumber of such sections may be plugged externally to one another tocompose a keyboard of desired columnar capacity. A chosen one of the keycolumn sections also may be externally plugged to outside circuits toserve as a feeder for such circuits to the other sectionor sections ofthe keyboard. Each keyboard section also is provided with a cable Cwhich passes through the front wall of the casing H3 (Fig. 1) of thekeyboard section. The cable contains wires which lead to contacts insidethe keyboard section and which terminate outside the casing of thesection in plug elements of a conventional multiple plug connector. Twoof these plug elements are shown for each keyboard section in Fig. :3.One of the two plug elements is designated CP and the other isdesignated CL.

Fig. 3 illustrates exemplary circuits which extend to and through asectional keyboard composed of a plurality of similar key columnsections. Two column sections are shown in Fig. 3 as the connections toother sections are generally similar and sufficiently clear from theillustration of the two column sections. The two shown sections aredesignated 'TH and H for convenience, but no structural distinctionsbetween them are to be implied since the sections are interchangeable.

Referring to Fig. '3, the illustrative circuits include'a'n emitter SPand magnets PM. These elements correspond, for example, to the similarlydesignated elements of Patent No. 2,355,389 (Fig. 370), or ofapplication Serial No. 585,996 (Fig. 191)), filed March 31, 1945, nowPatent No. 2,506,470. Briefly, a magnet PM is intended to be energizedat a difierential time of a cycle to control the punching of a digitdesignation in a record card column. Whenever punching is to beefiected. the emitter SP is operated for a cycle and emitsdifi'erentially timed impulses which are selectively applied by the keycontacts of a keyboard column section to the associated column magnetPM. Thus, the key column section selects the differential time ofenergization of the magnet PM in order that punching of the keyselecteddigit designation may be effected. No attem t is made here to show thepunching means and the means for efiecting cycles of the emitter SP assuch means are well known and may be understood from the previouslymentioned patent and application. Moreover, it is to be understood thatmagnets PM may serve in the manner of magnets T! or 223 of Patent No.1,976.61? (Fig.

29) to control accumulation or printing or. for that matter, any otherdigit manifesting function. It is to be understood, further, that num- 4is plugged to the socket P-L of the input column of the chosen sectionTH.

A remote control for a clearing operation of the keyboard is provided.This remote control comprises a key switch RK which is connected at oneside to a battery BBB and at the other side to a plug Wire 3'1. Wire 3'!is brought into cable 35 and its emerging end is plugged to the socketP--R, of the input column of chosen section TH.

As explained above, the wires 3!), 36, and 31, which may be termedcircuit service lines, are connected to input sockets P of the chosenfeeder section of the keyboard. To feed the power from service lines 39,36, and 3'! to the next section of the keyboard, corresponding plugwires 30a, 36a, and 31a are plugged between the output sockets of thefeeder section and the input sockets of the next section of thekeyboard. Specifically, the sockets P-L, P-R, PI2, PH, and 1 9 to 0 ofthe output column of sockets of chosen feeder section TH are connectedby plug wires 31a, 36a, and 39a to the similarly marked sockets of theinput column of the next section H. In practice, the adjacent sectionsof the keyboard are bers 11 and 12 are to be considered as di its sincetheir designations may be punched into index positions of a record cardcolumn.

There is one magnet PM plugged to the plug element CP of each key columnsection. The emitter SP is common to all the k y column sections. wirestherefrom being plugged to a chosen feeder section. The wires connectedto emitter spots 9 to O. 11 and 12 are desi nated 39. They are gatheredin a cable 35 and their emerging ends are plu -ti ed to enable them tobe plu ged into sockets P of the chosen key column section. Forconvenience. one column of sockets P of. a key column section mav bereferred to as the input column and the oth r column of sockets as theoutput column. As viewed in Fig. 3, the input column is the left handcolumn. Except for the uppermost pair of sockets from the two columns.the similarly marked sockets of the two columns, which sockets occur inpairs, are internallv wired to each other. The wires connected to theemitter spots 9 to 0, 11 and 12 are plu ged to sockets P marked 9 to 0.11 and 12 of the in ut column of the chosen feeder section TH. The brushof the emitter SP is wired to the plus side of the source of potential.shown here as a battery B.

An indicating lam bank such as shown in Fig. 190 of the aforementionedapplication Serial No. 585,999 is plugged to wires in cable C (Fig. l)which lead to key contacts, other than the ones shown, of the keyboard.The lamp bank and related key contacts are not shown since they form noessential part of the present invention. But two of the lamps.designated LP and LN are shown in Fig. 3 because the control of theselamps is a feature of the present invention. It is understood that lampsLP and LN are elements of two columns of lamps which are pluggedrespectively to the key column sections TH and H. The lamp LP, plug edto plu element CL of the keyboard section TH, is to be lit to indicate apositive amount setting of the keyboard and the lamp LN, plugged to theplug element CL of the section H, is to be lit to indicate a negativeamount setting. Power for the lamps is derived from a source shown inFig. 3 as a battery BB. A plug wire 36 connected to the plus side ofbattery BB enters cable and at its emerging end close together and shortplug wires may be run between the corresponding output and input socketsof the adjacent sections. To simplify the showing in Fig. 3, theconnecting plug wires are shown as cabled. The output column of socketsof section H may be plugged by such connecting plug wires to the inputcolumn of a third section (not shown) of the keyboard, and so on, fromone section to the next. It is thus seen that a single set of servicewires may be lugged to a chosen feeder section of the keyboard and thatthe several sections of the keyboard may be plugged, each to the next,to common the keyboard sections to the service wires. Further, thekeyboard may be built up of any desired number of pluggable key columnsections. Any section may be quickly and readily detached from thekeyboard simply by unplugging it from the remaining sections.

The various operations relating to the keyboard will now be described.The clearing operation, by which is meant the unlatching of digit keysof the column sections will be explained first. There is a dual controlfor clearing of each section. One portion of the control is common toall the sections and comprises the key switch RK. The other portion ofthe control is individual to each key column section and comprises itsswitch RS. Only those sections whose switches RS are closed will becleared upon the closure of the remote key switch RK. Assume, forinstance, that switch RS of section TH is open, while the switch RS ofsection H is closed. Upon the closure of key switch RK, potential is fedfrom the battery BBB to plug wire 37, thence to the socket P-R of theinput column of section TH, the bridge to the paired socket P-R of theoutput column, thence via plug wire 31a to socket P-R of the inputcolumn of section H, the bridge to the paired socket, and via the switchRS of section H, through the solenoid RM of this section, to ground.

Upon energization of solenoid RM of section H. it operates lever !4(Fig. 1) to move latch bar I2 in a direction to release the depresseddigit key. The solenoid RM of section TH is not energized because theswitch RS of this section has been left open. Hence, the key setting ofthe section TH remains in effect.

The next operation to be explained is the selective illumination ofamount sign indicating lamps LP and LN. The lamps LP and LN are pluggedto sections TH and H, respectively, but the single switch SS of sectionTH will control the selective illumination of the lamps. If the switchSS of section TH is set at the position (Fig. 1) then lamp LP will belit, but if this switch is set at the minus position, the lamp LN willbe lit. When switch SS is in neutral position, both sides of the switchare open. When in position, a blade of the switch engages a terminal ofthe switch. When in the minus position, the switch blades engage minusterminals. Assume the switch SS of section TH is set in position.Accordingly, potential from battery BB is fed by plug wire 38 to thesockets P--L of section TH, thence to a blade of the switch SS of thissec tion, the engaged terminal, and via a wire 4E! through lamp LP, toground. Assume, instead, that switch SS is set in the minus position.Potential from battery BB is fed via plug wire 36 to plug sockets P-L ofsection TH, thence to the right hand blade of switch SS of this section,the engaged right hand minus terminal of the switch, and a wire 4!, tothe output socket P-l l. This socket of section TH is connected by aplug wire 42 to the input socket P--N of section H. Hence,

the potential fed to output socket P-N of section TH is transmitted tothe input socket P-N of section H, and is applied via a wire 43 and thewire 4% of the section H, to lamp LN. It is clear from the abovedescription that the switch SS of the section TH selectively controlsthe illumination of the lamp LP connected to this section as well as thelamp LN connected to the section H. Stated generically, a switch of onekey column section selectively controls operation of a pair ofelectrical devices, plugged respectively to this sec tion and anothersection of the keyboard.

The next operation to be explained is the amount manifestation. Thedifferentially timed energization of the magnets PM will determine whichdigits are manifested. Differentially timed impulses will be fed fromemitter SP to the keyboard during an amount manifesting cycle. Tmpulsesemitted at differential times corresponding to the closed key contactsof the key column sections will be passed through to the magnets PMplugged to the respective sections. In short, the digit keys of thecolumn sections select the digits to be manifested by allowing themagnets PM to be energized at differential times such as to cause theselected digits to be recorded or manifested. Assume, for instance, thatkey 7 of section TH is depressed. During a manifesting cycle, when thebrush of emitter. SP wipes its '7 spot, a pulse is fed via the connectedplug wire 33 to sockets P'! of the section TH, thence via the now-closed'7 key contacts to the common wire 45, and via a rectifier 553 to themagnet PM plugged to this section. Magnet PM of section TH, beingenergized by this circuit at the '1 differential time of the cycle willcause the digit 7 to be manifested, as by the recording of a '7designation in a card column. Assume, further, that in section H, the 5key is closed. Hence, at the 5 differential time of the cycle, as theemit"er brush wipes its 5 spot, potential is fed via the connected plugwire 38 to sockets P-5 of the feeder section TH, thence via a plug wire35a to the sockets P-5 of section H, the closed key contacts of sectionH, the wire 45 and rectifier 51? of this section, and through the magnetPM plugged to secion H. Accordingly, the 5 digit will be manifestedunder control of the magnet PM plugged to key column section H. In asimilar manner, digits se- 6 'lected by other key column sections (notshown) will be manifested during a cycle.

When a negative amount is set on the keyboard, it is desired, inaddition to lighting the lamp LN, to produce an "11 manifestation duringa manifesting cycle to signify the negative sign of the manifestedamount. This can be understood best in relation to a manifestation bythe punching of designations in a card field, an understanding of whichcan be had by reference to the previously mentioned application. Thepunching of an ll index position in the card column associated withkeyboard section TH will designate a negative sign. With switch SS ofsection TH set in minus position, potential will be fed at the 1.1differ ential time of the cycle from the brush and 11 spot of theemitter SP, to the connected plug wire 38, the sockets P-l i of sectionTH, the left hand minus terminal and blade of switch SS of section TH, arectifier 5i, and a wire 52 to the magnet PM plugged to section TH.

The 12 digit also may be manifested, as by punching the 12 indexposition of a card column. To select a 12 digit to be manifested,

during a cycle, in a chosen card column, the switch IZS' of the keycolumn section associated with this column is closed. A 12 timed pulseis fed from the emitter SP during a cycle to sockets Pl2. Assumingswitch 52S of section TH is closed, the 12 pulse is transmitted by thisswitch and a rectifier 53 to wire 52 and thence to the magnet PM pluggedto section TH.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferredembodiment, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in theart, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is theintention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope ofthe following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A sectional keyboard including separate self -supporting key columnsections, each inclu ing digit keys and key contacts operable therebyfor setting up negative or positive amounts, each section also includinga plugboard to which the key contacts are internally wired and wherebythe sections may be flexibly electrically connected, in any desiredgrouping, by plug wires so as to connect the digit key contacts of thegrouped sections to digit input circuit lines, a first chosen sectionincluding a sign selecting switch having a positive sign side and anegative sign side and settable according to the sign of the amount forwhich the keyboard has been set, one sign manifesting electrical elementelectrically connected to a corresponding sign side of the switch of thefirst chosen section, the opposite sign side of the switch being wiredto the plugboard of the first chosen section, an opposite signmanifesting electrical element electrically connected to the plugboardof a second chosen key column section, a plugwire between the plugboardsof the two chosen sections to place said opposite sign side of theswitch in the first chosen section in control of said opposite signmanifesting element of the second chosen section, and an outside sourceof electrical potential plugged to the plugboard of the first chosensection so as to apply power through said switch selectively to eitherthe sign manifesting electrical element connected to the first chosensection or the opposite sign manifesting element connected to the secondchosen key column section depending on the setting of said switch.

2. A sectional keyboard of flexible columnar capacity for cooperatingwith outside digit-corresponding circuit lines, said keyboard beingcomposed of a variable number of like, interchangeable key columnsections, each including a set of digit keys and related digit keycontacts and means for interrelating the keys for maintained depressionof only one key at a time to operate its related contacts, each sectionbeing completely self-contained and provided with its own individualself-supporting and mounting frame mechanically independent of the othersections and fully mounting and housing the keys and contacts of thesection, so that the sections ma be placed in positions remote from oneanother or contiguous to one another as desired, the frame of eachsection having one outside closure wall formed by a plugboard secured tothe frame and provided with an input set of digit plug sockets and anoutput set of digit plug sockets, the corresponding sockets of both setsbeing electrically commoned in the plugboard and internally wired to thecorresponding digit key contact of the column section, said outsidedigit-corresponding circuit lines being pluggable by plug wires to theinput set of digit sockets of the plugboard of any chosen one of thecolumn sections, the output set of digit sockets of said chosen sectionbeing pluggable by plug wires to the input set of sockets of any otherone of the sections, and the output set of the latter section beingpluggable by plug wires to the input set of still another columnsection, and so on from section to desired section, whereby thecorresponding digit key contacts of as many sections as desired may beparalleled and connected via the input set of sockets of said chosensection to the corresponding outside circuit lines, any of said columnsections being removable from the keyboard by unplugging its input andoutput sockets from the other sections, whereby the number of columnsections in the keyboard may be varied at will to provide a keyboard offlexible columnar capacity.

8. sectional electrical keyboard for cooperating with outsidedigit-corresponding circuit lines to control orders of digit manifestingelectrical devices, said keyboard being built up of a variable number oflike, interchangeable key column sections, each having its ownindividual fully self supporting, mounting frame, each such framecompletely mounting and housing a set of digit keys and related keycontacts, whereby the key column sections may be placed contiguously toor remotely from one another, as desired, the frame of each sectionbeing formed in one outside wall with an opening, a plugboard secured.to the marginal edges bounding said opening so as to close said openingand be accessible from outside of the frame, said plugboard having aninput set of digit plug sockets and an output set of digit plug socketswith corresponding digit sockets commoned to each other and to thecorresponding digit key contacts, said outside digit corresponding linesbeing pluggable by plug wires to the input sockets of any chosen one ofthe column sections to place the key contacts of said chosen socket inseries with the corresponding outside di it lines, the output sockets ofthe chosen section being pluggable by plug wires to the input sockets ofany other of the column sections and the output sockets of the lattersec Or as.

tion being similarly pluggable to the input sockets of still another ofthe sections, and so on from section to section in any desired groupingof the sections, so that the corresponding digit key contacts of thegrouped sections may be paralleled with one another and connected viasaid chosen section to the outside digit lines, each section having acommon circuit connection between its digit key contacts and whichconnection is pluggable to an order of the digit manifesting devices,whereby the digit manifesting devices plugged to the grouped sectionsare selectively operable by circuits extending from the outside digitlines and via selectively operated key contacts of the section tomanifest the digits corresponding to the operated contacts, any of saidsections being removable from the keyboard by unplugging its input andoutput sockets from the other sections, whereby the number of columnsections in the keyboard may be varied at will to provide a keyboard offlexible column capacity.

4. A keyboard having columns of keys for setting up positive or negativeamounts and includina pair of like, interchangeable self-supporting andmounting key column sections, each including a set of digit key contactsand a sign switch having a common input blade and positive and negativesign poles, the blade being adjustable to a neutral position or to aposition in engagement with the positive pole or to another position inengagement with the negative pole, a pair of like electrical elementseach inherently capable of manifesting a positive sign or a negativesign, one of these elements being connected to one sign pole in one ofsaid sections and the other elementbeing similarly connected to thecorresponding sign pole in the other of said sections, each of saidsections mounting a plurality of accessible plug sockets, a first one ofsaid sockets in. each section being internally wired to the common inputblade in the section, a second of the sockets in each section beinginternally wired to said one sign pole of the switch in the section andto which sign pole the manifesting element associated with the sectionis wired, and a third one of the sockets in the section being wired tothe opposite sign pole of the switch, an outside source of potentialplugged to said first socket of either chosen one or" said columnsection so as to apply potential to the common input blade of the switchin said chosen section, and a plug wire between said third socket of thechosen section and said second socket of the other column section,whereby the sign switch in the latter section may be leit in neutralposition and the sign switch of the chosen section may be adjusted tocontrol the manipulation of the sign of the amount set on the keyboard,the common blade of the switch in the chosen section being adjustable toengage one sign pole of this switch to transmit the applied potential tothe sign manifesting element wired to this section for operating thelatter element to manifest this one sign, said blade in the chosensection being alternately adjustable to engage the opposite sign pole totransmit the applied potential via the latter pole and the pluggingbetween said third socket of the chosen section and said second socketof the other section to the sign manifesting element associated with thelatter section for operating the latter element to manifest saidopposite sign.

ARTHUR H. DICKINSON.

(References on following page) The following references are of record inthe REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Engstrom Jan. 26, 1923 Number

